Four-way valve



July 19, 1949. J. B. VAN DER WERFF FOUR-WAY VALVE Filed Deo. 4, i944 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 7 2 8 9 6 7 u 2M I July 19, 1949. .1. B. VAN DER WERFF FOUR-WAY VALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Filed Deo. 4, 1944 J. B. VAN DER WERFF l 2,476,519

FOUR-WAY VALVE July 19, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed DeO. 4, 1944 d I4 Pl n 2 2f r n M1 8 3 0/ /K no 2 10 3/ .I d. 3\ \2 iv 7 ll f 0 I 9U 4u 6 7 7D n/N n 2-- M M Patented July 19, 1949 -'.laiioli B. van u Der Werd, A

@aimai- 'Appiicationbecnif 4, lufsriai-No. 'eslz'z (Guarda) r`4fl Clarins.

This invention relates to"4'way valvesbf the type whiclr'a electrically operated,` 'with pijovision for manual operatin case'of'ieinergency,

and ithas among its'salientobjects t`o provide's'a i4-way, 'or' dow-reversing, valve Which'is 'capable of use with a cf'i'nipressediai'r systemQor with. 'a hydraulic system f tov provide such 'av valvey mechanismwhich" is efficiently practicalv and' 'qu'icli'f in its* operation; td'provide such a "valve nieclianism-abody having`-thern two' pairs of par'- allel' valvereceiving` bores Yor chambers vwith'conn'ectin'g ports-or passagewaysj'whereby said" valves can -be 'operated inl pairs for 'accomplishing tle quick-action' of an' operating piston ari'd'whatevr may be' connected" therewith; 'an'd,j inl generalj to provide a simplejpractical andeil'icijnt four-'way valve mechanism ofthe ch'z'iract'er' refeired'to.

On the accompanying three sheetsofdlawing's, I haveshownon'e practicalembodinent ofthe invention which I vWill'r'iovv describe:

Fig. 1 is a'topplan view'of a forivvay val've structure, with an operating eylind'er conn'eclf'ad. therewith;

Fig. 2 'is aside 'elevation 'thereof 'with Ya A'part broken -aw`ay; A

Fig. '-3 is 'an enlarged vertical sectional v'e'i'w takenon theline-"of 'Fi'g.'2; Y

Fig. 4 is a horizontalise'ctional r View takenoii the'll'ne #-14 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 isa bott'om'plan View, online'll-T'o'f Fig. 3, partly in section;

Fig. v8 is a top plan 'view of the bodyfn'lire'-B of Fig. 3, with parts in section;

Figs, 9, 10, 11 Vand 12am seciioiiai'vijews taken,

' with such other objects and advantages Vafs may si'ibsequentlyiappcar, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, 'construction arrangement 4"of partshereinafter 'described and claimed, and illustrated by Way off 'eza'm'ple in the accompanying drawing, 'in tv hich:

Referring in detail i@ rdie drawings, 'thejvafii'fe body `is shown in Figs. 1, 7 and '8, and "its `rrelative thickness will se understood from Figs. v2, 3, '5 and 7, said lbody being 'designated 1 in an pid The valve body ijs provided with a 'pair of v ve chamber bores 2, 2 "extending from .the 'top tl'felef 'f the vali/" Uday 'and with "a, 'svh'd of valve chamber Heres 3, a which 'xid daimler lao to each other vand tothebores 2, 2.v Continuing from iheioiiomiif. die' bores; 2,. 2, and. i. i, io im opposite'faoe' 'of the 'valve body are smaller oo nentric valve; guidingboresg', 2' and 3, `3f Mild,- ditionallvtlie valve body` is provided with a pair of' holes 4' and 5 extending parallelto the valve bores for reception b ifa pair of bolts l5, I5 which serve 'to' hold the entire/assembly together as will be. lie'reinafter described.l M Mounted in eachof the bores Z Z'fand 3',' 3" a'r '1. d eXte-ndinginto the associated valve chambers a valve yassembly coin- Prisme@ ,valve member 'iil'uldris a Siem 6 hevi'ngat oieenda groovd guiding portion carryingn a. vsealing ring 'l engaging the Wa lls of the guidingbo'resandcarryinga second sealing ring l erigageable'with ayalveseat l0 formedby the juncturefofthe guiding bore with its associated valvecl'i'aniber'bore. The valve memberis further provided vwith a `sleeve'member 8 loosely secured thereon by across'pin '9 which sleeve extends partly 'acr'ssthe outer face ofthe sealing ring 'l' and sfadapted to' egagethe bottom of thevalve chamber bore Wh'enthe valve is close d and when thusfega'ged'toliinitthe'movement of the valve byengageient/of 'its oppositeend face With ,a sho'ulderv on the valvefineniber. The upper` end of tii'e vvalve' meiriberis provided with acylindrical recess in `whichcorr'ipressiori spring l l is housed. The opposite end oi Ithe l spring bears against a base'me'rnber I` 2" 'ofa solenoid assembly later to be'inoe specicallv described, These valve meinbers in construction and mode of operation are generally of vthe'characteij disclosed in my oo pending application, vSerial No. 533,589, filed May 1, 1' 944=, `i'iovv Patent Number 2,431,437, granted November 25,1194?) and furtherdescription is not flieen# 'nessaryi The., base. member .l2 ee.- cred'to a'cbver'plate I3 by a series of screws I 4 and bolts Yl5, l5 through the bores l and 5 Slilf, ifrlet? GQ the. body member yt,v afnd'add'itionallyfseoure a block l 6 and a cover I1 to the under face o f 4thevalve body member.

shere shown thereare two solenoids employed, the solenoid I8- isarranged for actuation of v the valves in lihfev'alve .chamber bores 3, 3 and the valves inthevalvechamber bores 2, 2 are actuated by 1the solenoid I Bf.

n gener lthe solenoids arelike that `disclosed in the application of Orrin Robert Broberg, Serial No.'493,66' 1 led July 6, 1943, 'now abandoned., and. cemprie iloutereiing 1.6. having. .one ,eed Siil info 'igiqbve the base .member l2 and keri.- closing aeoil construction including a heayy `coil i9 'finde i'if'ilseg 19.- 111e uppernd .9i the casing is spun or crimped over the head membervalve body which rods at their lower ends carryA transversely disposed channel members 24 wl1ich extend beneath the projecting ends of the valve members.

It will be seen that upon energizai tion of the solenoid I8, the valves in the valve chamber bores 3, 3 will be unseated and that the solenoid I8 will likewise independently unseat the valves in the valve chamber bores 2, 2.v

It will be understood, of course, that the valves in this mechanism are electrically controlled and that by the manipulation of suitable switches either of the solenoids can be energized for moving the valve members in pairs for controlling and reversing the flow of the air under pressure. Referring to Figs. l and 8, if it is -desired to direct the supply ofV air (or liquid) under pressure connected with port 30, to a cylinder for operat- .ing some mechanism, the proper solenoid will be energized to open valves 2a and 2b together, as before described, whereupon the operating fluid -will ilow through valve chamber 3, around closed valve 3b, through passageway 34, to and through l5.-

valve chamber 2 (valve 2a would be open), to the smaller portion 2 thereof, and thence through -passageway 35 (seen in Fig. 11), to port 3|, and

Each valve member at its upper end is surf rounded by a spacing ring 25 and within the valve chamber bore and contacting the inner face of the ring 25 and the adjacent walls of the bore and the Valve member is a resilient sealing ring 26. Engagement with the cover plate i3 serves t hold the spacing rings 25 in place.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 28 carried by the block I6, which pin is held against endwise movement by engagement with the bolts I5, i5, is a T- shaped hand lever 27' whereof the ends 0f the T extend below the ends of the rods 23 and 23.

Upon oscillation of the lever 27 one or the other Q pair of valves will be unseated.

Attention is called to the fact that said valve bores, or chambers, 2, 3 and 3,3, are connected by ports or passageways, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 8. When said valve members are in their closed positions, they rest on the shoulders I0 formed between the upper larger portions 2, 2, and 3, 3 and the smaller portions 2', 2' and 3', 3',

Fig. 5. There is a passageway around the closed valve member through the upper larger portions of said valve chambers, to other valve ports, or chambers, and when said valve members are raised, as seen in Fig. 6, said upper larger valve chambers 2, 2, and 3, 3, are in open communication with the lower smaller portions 2', 2' and 3', 3', and also with connecting ports or passageways, as shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the inlet port for theV supply of operating fluid, whether air or liquid, is designated by the small arrow 30, while the ports for connection with the opposite ends of an operating cylinder C, as seen in Fig. l, are designated by the arrows 3i and 32, and the exhaust or return port is designated by the arrow 33, shown as open to the atmosphere in said Fig. 8, while the other ports are internally threaded for connecting means as seen in section in Figs.

1, 11 and 12.

If the valve is to be used in a hydraulic system, then this port 33 would be internally threaded, as are the other ports 3D, 3l and 32. I have shown the mechanism as it would be used with air under pressure.

Assuming now that a source of supply of air under pressure is connected with the port 30, Fig. 8, and it is desired to direct it into the left end of an operating cylinder, connected with port 3l, or to the right end of said operating cylinder, connected with port 32, I will now describe the construction which makes this possible.

For convenience of reference to the valve members in said Fig. 8, I have designated the valve members in the valve bores 2, 2, as 2a and 2b, and the valve members in the valve bores 3, 3, as 3% and 3b.

thence to the cylinder C, as indicated in Fig. l, for moving the piston P, and its connections. Fluid from the opposite end of said cylinder will pass to and through port 32, passageway 31, to and through open valve 2b and out through passageway 38, around closed valve 3a, and out through passageway 33 to the atmosphere, if air, or to a storage reservoir, if liquid. I

If now it is desired to reverse the operation of the piston in cylinder C, the solenoid for opening valves 3a and 3b is energized, whereupon the operating fluid fromV said connected port 33 will be directed through open valve 3b, through passageway 35 to port 32 and to the opposite end of said cylinder, whereupon said piston will be moved in the opposite direction. Fluid from the opposite end of said cylinder will be directed back to port 3l, passageway 31, through open valve 3a and thence to the outlet or return passageway 33. This operation is best traced on Fig. 8, and by reference to the several sectional views in Figs. 9, l0, 1l, and 12, it is believed to be clear. Figs. 5 and 6 show the closed valve and the open valve, and the connecting Ypassageways which are indicated in broken lines in said Fig. 8.

Thus I have provided a l-way valve mechanism in which two different pairs of valve members are moved together in the control of operating fluid through the valve body, to and from a place of use, also a, valve mechanism in which the valve chambers are of two diierent diameters each, with the passageways in the body of the valve being between the larger portions of valve chambers and between the smaller portions of said valve chambers, thus making it possible to control a maximum of ilow passageways through a valve body by valve members connected and operated in pairs.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction and arrangement as shown for explanatory purposes, except as I may be limited Vby a broad interpretation or construction of the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a four-way valve of the character referred to, a body having therein two pairs of valve chambers, a spring loaded normally closed valve member in each of said chambers, a solenoid and means connected with the solenoid for moving one pair of said valve members to open positions, a second solenoid and means connected therewith for moving the other pair of said valve members to open position, said body being provided with passageways therein for connecting said four valve chambers with inlet and outlet ports to and from said body and with each other, and also with ports for conducting an operating fluid from said body to and from a place of use, said valve members being operable by said solenoids for controlling the ow of said operating fluid.

2. A four-way valve mechanism including a valve body having therein two pairs of valve chambers, a spring-loaded normally closed valve in each chamber, a pair of solenoids for moving said valves, said solenoids each having means engageable with the end of said valves remote from said solenoid and adapted to move one pair of valve members simultaneously to open position, said body having passageways therein connecting said four valve chambers with each other and with connecting ports in said body, and four connecting ports in said body for conducting operating fluid from said body to and from a place of use and for conducting a main supply of operating fluid into said body and for its release after use, whereby operating iuid can be directed to a place' of use and returned therefrom by the alternate operation of said valves in pairs by said solenoids.

3. A four-way valve mechanism including a valve body having therein two pairs of valve chambers, a spring -loaded valve member in each chamber, a pair of solenoids for moving said valve members, said solenoids having means including armatures for moving said pairs in the same direction as said armatures are moved, said valve body having passageways therein connecting said valve chambers with each other at different levels and also with connecting ports in said body, and four connecting ports in said body for conducting operating fluid from said body to and from a place of use and for conducting a main supply of operating fluid into said body and for its release after use, whereby operating uid can be directed to a place of use and returned therefrom by the alternate operation of said valve members in pairs by said solenoids.

4. A four-Way valve mechanism including a body having therein two pairs of valve chambers, said valve chambers each having an upper and a lower portion of cylindrical form and of diierent diameters, a norm'ally closed valve member in each of said valve chambers, each of said valve members being of two different diameters and adapted to open communication between the upper portions of said valve chambers and the lower portions thereof, and to close communication between said upper and lower portions, solenoids connected with said valve members for moving the same in pairs, said body having passageways therein connecting said valve chambers between their upper larger portions, and between their lower smaller portions, and four connecting ports in said body for conducting operating fluid from said body to and from a place of use, and for conducting a main supply of operating fluid into said body, and for its release after use, whereby operating fluid can be directed to a place of use, and returned therefrom by the operation of said valve members by said solenoids.

JACOB B. VAN DER WERFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 7,048 Frink Apr. 11, 1876 665,704 Strong Jan. 8, 1901 817,773 Hennebohle Apr. 17, 1906 993,742 Wardlaw May 30, 1911 1,157,196 VonPhilp Oct. 19, 1915 1,486,303 Ross Mar. 11, 1924 1,772,920 Hynes July 30, 1929 1,956,775 Ross May l, 1934 2,339,353 Ray Jan. 18, 1944 

